Risk of prostate cancer

About 1 man in 9 will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer during his lifetime. Prostate cancer develops mainly in older men. About 60% are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before age 40. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 66.

As a preventative the consumption of one or two brazil nuts a day is a minimal requirement compared to the potential of Prostate Cancer as you get older. If you are allergic to nuts then there are Selenium supplements you can take. So do one or the other from as early an age as possible.​

Prostate cancer affects men. This small gland is located beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is actually part of the reproductive system and helps to make the fluid that is known as semen. Semen is needed to carry sperm, so a healthy prostate is needed for proper ejaculation and fertility. Prostate Cancer occurs when the prostate gets larger.

As men get older it is natural for some enlargement of this gland to occur. However, in some cases, this can be a sign of very serious Prostate Cancer. This type of Cancer can make urination and ejaculation painful or difficult, and can greatly affect reproductive and sexual wellbeing. But asides from complications and pain, Prostate Cancer can be seriously life-threatening. The pressing issue of Prostate Cancer has led to extensive research on treatment options and preventative measures. In particular, there has been interest in the use of particular vitamins and minerals to naturally prevent and control this form of Cancer.

One mineral that has proven to be particularly important is Selenium. 

In several different medical trials and scientific studies, it has been found that low levels of Selenium in the body can lead to a lesser risk of Prostate Cancer. In particular, it is known that this important mineral can actively defend the body against the development of Prostate Cancer.

This is because it can support the effects of antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress from occurring in the body. When oxidative stress builds up it can lead to Cancer. So it is important to ensure that antioxidants are able to fight this in your body.

Getting enough Selenium optimises the Cancer preventing benefits of antioxidants. Asides from this, it is thought that Selenium can encourage the immune system to destroy tumours.

If you are at risk of Prostate Cancer or are concerned about your future Cancer risks, then it definitely worth ensuring you have enough Selenium in your diet. People with low Selenium intake can reduce their Prostate Cancer risk just by getting more of this essential mineral in their diet. So if you are a man over the age of 50 it is especially worth watching out for Selenium.

Diet for Prostate Cancer

Now that you know how important Selenium is to your health and wellbeing, you may want to know how to include it in your diet.

There is not actually a huge range of foods that contain Selenium. For those who don’t eat meat, dairy or shellfish, there are even fewer food sources. This means that most vegetarians and vegans may struggle to find good food sources of Selenium.

However, the good news is that you don’t need a lot of Selenium in your diet at all. As a trace mineral, you only need a ‘trace’ or a small amount of it in your diet. Even a small portion of Selenium-rich foods could be enough to meet your Recommended Daily Allowance of 55 mcg. Although, if you want to treat health conditions with Selenium then you may want to get a little more Selenium than the RDA suggests, just under 200 mcg.

Organ and muscle meat are known to be rich in Selenium. The liver is a good option since it is rich in nutrients and healthy enzymes. Although an unusual choice of meat, it tends to be cheaper and offers a unique flavour to meals.

Try swapping traditional cuts of meat for organ meats to increase your Selenium intake. Poultry can be a good source of Selenium although in most cases this is only true of organic and free-range poultry. Fish, eggs, and dairy foods also contain a significant amount of Selenium and can be included every now and then as part of a nutritious and healthy diet.

Plants

With plant foods, most of the Selenium they contain depends on the soil they were grown in. Soil contains Selenium which is absorbed by the plant roots. Depending on the geographical location of growth, the Selenium concentration of plant foods can vary quite a bit. Generally though, if a plant food is considered to be rich in Selenium you can be sure that it has enough to help you meet your RDA.

One of the absolute best sources of Selenium is Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are certainly the most concentrated plant food when it comes to this trace mineral. Just one Brazil nut provides you with up to 95 mcg of Selenium. This is almost twice an adult’s RDA. In a recent New Zealand study, Brazil nuts were found to be a far more preferable source of Selenium than supplements. If you are not a fan of Brazil nuts, you can also look to walnuts to support your wellbeing.

Including a Selenium rich food like these nuts in your diet regularly should negate the need for any supplement in the first place. Other plant foods that contain a notable amount of Selenium include various cereals and grains, raisins, onions, garlic and kidney beans.

Having a variety of these Selenium-rich foods in your diet can help you to meet your daily needs for this trace mineral. Asides from this, it can certainly help you to support long term health and wellbeing. Whether you want to prevent Cancer or support cognitive (brain) health, you can rely on this mineral to help you.

An essential mineral

This amazing nutrient is vital to your health even if you never heard of it. It is an essential mineral, meaning it must be obtained through your diet. It is only needed in small amounts, but plays a major role in important processes in the body like metabolism, killing cancer and thyroid function.

Your body only need a tiny amount of Selenium to remain healthy. It helps your body make special proteins, called antioxidant enzymes. These play a significant role in preventing cell damage.

Nutritional Selenium

Brazil nuts have the highest levels of nutritional selenium. One ounce of brazil nuts contain 544 micrograms of this important nutrient or 777% the Recommended Daily Allowance.

High quality supplements are available. They should contain L-selenomethionine, the most absorbable form of selenoproteins.

For most people the best option may be to include selenium-rich foods in their diet. Great sources include: brazil nuts, crimini mushrooms, cod, shrimp, tuna, halibut, salmon, scallops, chicken, eggs, shiitake mushrooms, lamb, and turkey. Brazil nuts are particularly rich in selenium; it only takes one or two per day to improve your selenium status and boost immune function. (10)

This important nutrient can be toxic in high doses

Selenium is an element necessary for normal cellular function, but it can have toxic effects at high doses. Frequently reported symptoms included diarrhea (78%), fatigue (75%), hair loss (72%), joint pain (70%), nail discoloration or brittleness (61%), and nausea (58%). Symptoms persisting 90 days or longer included fingernail discoloration and loss (52%), fatigue (35%), and hair loss (29%). 

Selenium is a naturally occurring mineral required for good health. It is obtained from food, and the recommended dietary allowance is 55 μg/d for persons 14 years or older.  The tolerable upper intake limit of 400 μg/d.(1,2) This nutrient is available in a diverse diet with meat, grains, vegetables, and nuts is typically sufficient to negate the necessity for supplementation.(3) Selenium toxicity can occur with acute or chronic ingestion of excess selenium. Symptoms of toxicity include nausea; vomiting; nail discoloration, brittleness, and loss; hair loss; fatigue; irritability; and foul breath odor (often described as “garlic breath”).(1,2,4-6)

Selenium is found in the environment in soil. Soils of certain areas in the Great Plains and western United States(4). There are other parts of the world which have high concentrations, which are taken up by plants. For example, chronic toxicity was endemic in parts of China until recently.(6) Outbreaks of acute selenium poisoning are rare, but have been reported.(7,8)

Outbreaks of selenium poisoning are rare; the last occurred in 2008 with 201 cases. Prior to that was in 1983 and involved 12 persons who had consumed extremely potent selenium tablets as a dietary supplement.(7,8) A single case in 1996 was attributed to vitamins with elevated amounts of selenium.(9) Occasional cases are caused by unintentional or suicidal ingestion.(5) 

Did you know that Selenium could help your body to fight Cancer? 

Or that it is prescribed to treat chronic dandruff - it is an ingredient in many anti-dandruff shampoos?

This valuable mineral can actually do a huge amount for your wellbeing! As a trace mineral, you only need a small or ‘trace’ amount of it in your diet. But even a tiny amount of this mineral can make a big difference to your wellness. 

The main benefit is its ability to fight Cancer.

Not only can this trace mineral prevent the development of Cancer, but it can also help the body to destroy cancerous cells and tumours. Whilst fighting most forms of Cancer, it is particularly effective at fighting Prostate Cancer. 

As well as this, Selenium can be relied on to prevent Asthma attacks, since Selenium deficiency leads to an increased risk of Asthma.

The list of benefits that this mineral can offer you is seemingly endless, and this is just a few of its uses! 

It can also promote absorption of nutrients, treat Cardiomyopathy, and lower your risk of Keshan disease. 

All this is possible with just a small amount of Selenium in your diet. An adult only needs around 55 mcg a day, which can be achieved by eating just a few Brazil nuts daily. Whatever foods you get this mineral from, you can be sure of benefiting your body and tackling diseases with this important nutrient.

Cancer Killer

There are many different types of Cancer. Nearly all of them are characterised by the excessive growth of dangerous cancerous cells in certain areas of the body.

One major form of Cancer is Prostate Cancer, which affects around 40,000 men a year in the UK alone.

Risk of prostate cancer

1 man in 9 will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer during his lifetime. Prostate cancer develops mainly in older men. About 60% are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before age 40. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 66.

As a preventative the consumption of one or two brazil nuts a day is a minimal requirement compared to the potential of Prostate Cancer as you get older. If you are allergic to nuts then there are Selenium supplements you can take. So do one or the other from as early an age as possible.​

Men Only

Prostate cancer only affects men. This small gland is located beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is actually part of the reproductive system and helps to make the fluid that is known as semen. Semen is needed to carry sperm, so a healthy prostate is needed for proper ejaculation and fertility. Prostate Cancer occurs when the prostate gets larger.

As men get older it is natural for some enlargement of this gland to occur. However, in some cases, this can be a sign of very serious Prostate Cancer. This type of Cancer can make urination and ejaculation painful or difficult. It can also greatly affect reproductive and sexual wellbeing. But asides from complications and pain, Prostate Cancer can be seriously life-threatening. The pressing issue of Prostate Cancer has led to extensive research on treatment options and preventative measures. In particular, there has been interest in the use of vitamins and minerals to naturally prevent and control this form of Cancer.

One mineral that has proven to be particularly important is Selenium. 

In several different medical trials and scientific studies, it has been found that low levels of this mineral in the body can lead to a lower risk of Prostate Cancer. In particular, it is known that this important mineral can actively defend the body against the development of Prostate Cancer. 

This is because it can support the effects of antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress from occurring in the body. When oxidative stress builds up it can lead to Cancer. So it is important to ensure that antioxidants are able to fight this in your body.

Getting enough Selenium optimises the Cancer preventing benefits of antioxidants. Aside from this, it is thought that it can encourage the immune system to destroy tumours. 

If you are at risk of Prostate Cancer or are concerned about your future Cancer risks, then it definitely worth ensuring you have enough Selenium in your diet. People with low Selenium intake can reduce their Prostate Cancer risk just by getting more of this essential mineral in their diet. So if you are a man over the age of 50 it is especially worth making sure you get getting enough of this mineral.

As a woman it is an important mineral that you need to protect you from Cancer.

Brain Health

Supporting your brain health is important at any age.

One nutrient your brain relies on is Selenium.

This actually plays an important role in the production of neurotransmitters. These are brain chemicals responsible for transporting chemical messages through the brain. Without them, you would be unable to react or respond to anything. This makes Selenium quite important to normal brain function. In fact, a low level can lead to notable cognitive decline. 

Older people are at risk of Dementia if they have a Selenium deficiency. As you approach the age of 60, it is more important than ever to ensure you get enough Selenium in your diet. It could help you to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Another benefit to brain health that this powerful trace mineral offers is in the treatment of Intracranial Pressure. This is a condition that causes a range of unpleasant and frustrating symptoms. These include frequent headaches, Vertigo, nausea, speech disorders, and chronic fatigue. According to some early research, Selenium could help to manage this condition and relieve the symptoms of it as well.

Diet

Your diet should include Selenium for your health and wellbeing. 

There is not actually a huge range of foods that contain this important mineral. For those who don’t eat meat, dairy or shellfish, there are even fewer food sources. This means that most vegetarians and vegans may struggle to find good food sources of Selenium. 

The good news is that you don’t need a lot in your diet at all. As a trace mineral, you only need a ‘trace’ or a small amount of it in your diet. If you eat even a small portion of Selenium-rich foods that could be enough to meet your Recommended Daily Allowance of 55 mcg. Although, if you want to treat health conditions with Selenium then you may want to get a little more Selenium than the RDA suggests, just under 200 mcg. 

Organ and Muscle Meat

Organ and muscle meat are known to be rich in Selenium. The liver is a good option since it is rich in nutrients and healthy enzymes. Although an unusual choice of meat, it tends to be cheaper and offers a unique flavour to meals.

Try swapping traditional cuts of meat for organ meats to increase your Selenium intake. Poultry can be a good source of Selenium although in most cases this is only true of organic and free-range poultry. Fish, eggs, and dairy foods also contain a significant amount of Selenium and can be included every now and then as part of a nutritious and healthy diet.

Plant Foods

With plant foods, most of the Selenium they contain depends on the soil they were grown in. Soil contains Selenium which is absorbed by the plant roots. Depending on the geographical location of where the plant is growing, the Selenium concentration of plant foods can vary quite a bit. If a plant food is considered to be rich in Selenium you can be sure that it has enough to help you meet your RDA. 

One of the absolute best sources of Selenium is Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are certainly the most concentrated plant food when it comes to this trace mineral. Just one Brazil nut provides you with up to 95 mcg of Selenium. This is almost twice an adult’s RDA. In a recent New Zealand study, Brazil nuts were found to be a far more preferable source of Selenium than supplements. If you are not a fan of Brazil nuts, you can also look to walnuts to support your wellbeing.

If you include a Selenium rich food like these nuts in your diet regularly it should avoid the need for any supplement in the first place. Other plant foods that contain a notable amount of Selenium include various cereals and grains, raisins, onions, garlic and kidney beans. 

Having a variety of these Selenium-rich foods in your diet can help you to meet your daily needs for this trace mineral. Asides from this, it can certainly help you to support long term health and wellbeing. Whether you want to prevent Cancer or support cognitive (brain) health, you can rely on this mineral to help you.

Irrelevant Nutrient

The trace mineral selenium was considered an irrelevant nutrient as recently as three decades ago. Now scientists have discovered that selenium is actually crucial to the health of humans. It plays a role in helping to protect the body against a wide range of damaging diseases and conditions.

Selenium’s rise from an irrelevant mineral to a crucial trace element has occurred as a result of studies. They indicated its role in regulating metabolism, cell manufacture, enhancing reproductive efforts, neutralising damaging free radicals and protecting the body against infection and cancer. In addition to these benefits, selenium is the only trace element that is incorporated into our genetic material. Selenocysteine is a specific amino acid that is incorporated into numerous proteins in our bodies under the direction of the genetic code.

Mostly we obtain selenium from plants. This bonds with proteins in our bodies to create compounds known as selenoproteins. At least 25 unique selenoproteins exist within our bodies. These play an important role in many processes from protecting us against free radical damage through to activating thyroid hormone release.

Commonly found in supplements as Sodium Selenite.

Multiple Protective Roles

Selenium combines with the body’s natural antioxidant, glutathione, to form powerful compounds known as glutathione peroxidases.

Glutathione peroxidases are compounds that convert hydrogen peroxide and other damaging compounds into water or harmless alcohol. Selenium also combines with a specific protein to form a compound referred to as Selenoprotein P. This particular protein helps to protect the circulatory system including the heart and all the blood vessels from damage.

The other benefit of selenium is that it reactivates vitamins C and E back to their active state. Vitamins C and E work to neutralise free radicals and without selenium, these neutralised compounds would be excreted out including the vitamins C and E. By binding with the toxic molecules, vitamins C and E are put back into their active state so that they can attack more free radicals and protect our bodies.

Immune System

Selenium plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of the immune system. Selenium is required to signal cytokines, which are compounds that tell your immune system to get to work. Additionally, selenium has been shown to prevent viral mutation of many species and thus prevent recurring infections.

Important studies in the US and Finland have shown the protective effect of selenium against cell mutation. Within the UK, dietary selenium levels are considerably lower than in the US. These levels have fallen very significantly in recent years. Levels now stand at around half the Government’s defined Reference Nutrient Intake which for the UK is 70 mcg for men and 60 mcg for women.

A dietary supplement of selenium has tremendous potential for reducing the various forms of cell mutation at a relatively low cost. When researchers at the University of Arizona conducted a study involving 1300 patients, they found more than 50% reduction in certain cell mutation diseases when compared to the placebo group.

Thyroid

The thyroid gland holds the largest concentration of selenium of any organ in the body. Three different selenium-bound proteins are responsible for making active thyroid hormone available in circulation. Selenium is therefore essential for all the processes carried out by the thyroid gland including metabolism, normal growth and development. This is aside from the link between thyroid hormones and all the other hormones within our body. Thyroid hormone deficiencies affect most other hormonal glands in the body.

Selenium’s role in protecting the cardiovascular system remains unclear. It is theorized that selenium’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may help protect the heart, although more research needs to be carried out to confirm this.

Foods

Food sources of selenium include chicken, meat, grains, fish and dairy products. However most of the foods we ingest contain very low levels of selenium especially if you live in Europe. The reason for this is because selenium is a trace mineral that is extracted by plants from the soil and therefore its availability is largely determined by soil quality. Unfortunately most of Europe, China and New Zealand are known for having selenium deficient soils, as do parts of the USA.

It is estimated that before the end of the century using moderate climate change projections, the predicted future (2080–2099) soil selenium losses will be 58%. Predicted losses from croplands were even higher, with 66% of croplands predicted to lose 8.7% selenium. These losses could increase the worldwide prevalence of selenium deficiency.(11)

When combined with vitamin E‚ selenium (selenomethionine) may have several additional benefits. It can support some of the cells that are responsible for producing energy. Overall‚ it may promote fertility and growth.

Finally‚ selenium supports healthy blood flow because it is essential to the production of prostaglandins. It is also involved in thyroid hormone synthesis‚ and immune system functioning; the latter is because it may work with other minerals to build up white blood cells.

There are several forms of selenium supplements available on the market. Selenium (selenomethionine) combined selenium with organic methionine that is incorporated directly into proteins; it releases selenium into the bloodstream when these complex molecules are broken down during the metabolic process.

Six Reasons Why You Should Eat More Wasabi

Whether you've been out for sushi or browsing the international aisles at your grocery store, you might have noticed a green paste or powder called wasabi.

Wasabia is a spicy green Japanese condiment that was originally made from the herb Wasabia japonica. Wasabia japonica rhizome is a rich source of unique long-chain methyl isothiocyanates that have been shown to help maintain healthy liver enzymes and DNA, as well as support a healthy anti inflammatory process.

Why else should you be eating more wasabi?

Here's what I found.

Number one

Actual Wasabia with isothiocyanates inhibits the development of lung tumors, at least in mice. There are a lot of cancer researchers who are now are pushing the NIH to do some human clinical trials with Wasabia standardized to a fixed level of isothiocyanate.

This was published in Cancer Letters 2000. There hasn't been much follow up with this, I don't think. If you go to clinicaltrials.gov, you can search "wasabi" and/or "isothiocyanate" and "lung cancer" and see what kind of trials are out there. I don't think there are too many. The use of Wasabia to cure Lung Cancer has been shown to work, at least in mouse models.

The latest studies (2019) are showing that the active ingredients in Wasabia japonica kill nearly all types of Cancer cells. I shall be addressing these cancers in future articles. 

Number two

Actual Wasabia has potent antibacterial activity. Now, this has been known for a long time and this has probably been one of the big reasons that traditional cultures have used actual Wasabia in wounds and when people are sick with cold, flu, whatever.

Historically speaking, they made the claims it works wonders but now there is some research evidence that it truly does have at least antibacterial activity and is also anti-viral. The International Journal of Food and Medicine, 2004 did a really good study on this. The Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Biochemistry journal, published in 1998 some research looking at the antibacterial activity and it does seem to have some.

Some hospitals are now using Wasabia based cleaning products to overcome Golden Staph infections are appear to be endemic in most hospitals.

Number three

Actual Wasabia suppresses glandular stomach cancer.

This is a good one. We don't have a lot of good treatments for stomach cancer. This study was published in Nutrition and Cancer, 1991.

Looking at actual Wasabia with isothiocyanates and the effect on cancer was positive and the results published in a peer review journal a long time ago. Again, go to clinicaltrials.gov and there's not a lot of follow up with these things and that's a shame.

Number four

Wasabia has some antiplatelet properties so it can help work in kind of the same way aspirin does. A study has shown that Wasabia works almost immediately compared to the 10 minutes that aspirin normally takes to reduce pain.

In a post-stroke type situation or maybe even used in combination with other anti-platelets with people with A-fib to prevent blood clot formations Wasabia would be useful. This was shown to be true in a study that was published in the Biofactors journal in 2000.

There's a number of traditional benefits of Wasabia, a lot of historical, anecdotal claims about Wasabia and those claims are now being backed up with solid, peer reviewed publications, sometimes in animals, sometimes in a petri dish, sometimes in humans.

Number five

Wasabia increases the abundance of protective detox enzymes. Those are your liver enzymes. Detox is a big issue.

We know that we have a built in, really awesome detox system called the liver. But the liver is being overwhelmed in today's environment, so it needs help. Wasabia can be that help.

The Journal of Biology and Chemistry, in 2002 showed that Wasabia can enhance the activity of phase I and phase II detoxification paths in the liver. Other things that can do that are milk thistle, melon extracts, B Vitamins and now you can add Wasabia to that list.

Number six

Wasabia has a protective effect against colon cancer risk.

This study was published in Nutrition and Cancer in 2004. Just a lot of really good benefits of Wasabia but you have to make sure you're using Actual Wasabia japonica if you are going to eat and consume it.

The latest studies show that Wasabia japonica is actually capable of killing almost every type of cancer. 

If you are going to buy a product make sure it is only Actual Wasabia and not the generally available horseradish blend.

100% Pure Wasabia japonica products that have the health benefits mentioned above can be found at https://organicremedies.com/products

Lung Cancer has now passed Breast Cancer as the Deadliest Cancer Killer for Women in the Western World.

This is because of the very large and intensive marketing push started by the Tobacco industry some 50 years ago which targeted women specifically. This marketing continues today aimed at young girls and women throughout the Western world.

The number of men smoking has steadily declined over the past few decades, while the number of women who smoke has increased.

The cause of Lung Cancer in the majority of cases can be traced back to what we put into our lungs. Whether that is tobacco smoke or polluted air or even industrial byproducts and waste.

The Secondhand Tobacco smoker is at risk because Secondhand tobacco smoke comes from burning cigarettes or other tobacco products, or is exhaled by smokers. Inhaling secondhand smoke exposes you to the same cancer-causing agents as smokers, although in smaller amounts.

While in most of Europe the smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco products is banned in any public place, office, restaurant or bar you see plenty of people standing outside the building smoking and polluting the air for all the passersby.

In the West, tobacco smoke is estimated to cause about 90% of all lung cancers.

There is no reason to expect this estimate to be any different for anywhere else in the World.

Even if you are a non-smoker, do not associate with smokers and wear a face mask (filter) when going outside you may get lung cancer from a colourless, tasteless, undetectable gas that might be in your house. This gas is Radon, which is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in soil. This gas decays into solid radioactive particles which can, and do, deposit themselves into your lungs. It is these tiny radioactive particles that cause lung cancer. If you are concerned about Radon and live in the USA then check here. 

Radon, like other known or suspected external risk factors for lung cancer, is a threat for smokers and former smokers. This was clearly demonstrated by the European pooling study.^[6] A commentary ^[7] to the pooling study stated: "it is not appropriate to talk simply of a risk from radon in homes. The risk is from smoking, compounded by a synergistic effect of radon for smokers. Without smoking, the effect (of Radon) seems to be so small as to be insignificant."

According to the European pooling study, there is a difference in risk from radon between lung cancer types. Small cell lung carcinoma, which is practically only caused by smoking, has a higher risk of developing when coupled with Radon. For other lung cancer types that primarily affects non-smokers, the increased risk from Radon appears to be lower.^[8][9]

Other exposures of concern include asbestos, certain metals such as chromium, cadmium, arsenic, and some organic chemicals. Although the risk of lung cancer from such exposure is not as great as the risk from cigarette smoke, your risk increases more if you are a smoker and you are exposed to these agents in the workplace or elsewhere.

A new Product called Sawa Lung Cleanse for Smokers is available here. 

Drinking large amounts of alcohol is linked to an increased risk of Lung Cancer.

Taking beta-carotene supplements (pills) can increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers who smoke one or more packs a day. The risk is higher in smokers who also drink one or more alcoholic drinks every day.

The human body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A (retinol). We need vitamin A for healthy skin and mucous membranes, our immune system, and good eye health and vision.

Beta-carotene in itself is not an essential nutrient, but vitamin A is.

A new Product called Sawa Lung Cleanse for Smokers is available here. 

About 2 out of 3 people diagnosed with lung cancer are older than 65. Less than 3% of all diagnoses are made in people younger than 45.

Thirty percent of people with lung cancer will die within 90 days of being diagnosed in the UK.

This strikes me as a strange fact as the implication here is that either;

1. The patients doctor did not detect the lung cancer early enough to do anything, or
2. The patients gave up the will to live on diagnosis.

The medical establishment tells us that Lung cancer is one of the hardest cancers to diagnose and has a poor prognosis – they regard it as a death sentence. It is obvious that Doctors need more training in identifying cancer when you ask for their opinion. 

The outlook for patients with lung cancer is improving with the advent of new drugs. Prevention is better than the cure, you need to avoid places and circumstances that may cause Lung Cancer. 

What’s more, early interventions have shown that a few relatively easy and cheap measures can improve the rates of earlier diagnosis. As with all cancers, early diagnosis is the key to successful treatment.

“This is a curable cancer if it’s caught early enough,” stressed Riyaz Shah, a consultant medical oncologist at Kent Oncology Centre, UK.

Among the barriers to early diagnosis, is the fact that the symptoms of lung cancer are often vague and nonspecific. Even where patients has chest symptoms they sometimes don’t think they are dangerous. Other patients said they had been unable to get to see their usual GP or that they couldn’t get an appointment to get their symptoms checked out. Research shows that patients who died had visited their GP an average of five times in the months before diagnosis. This indicates that GP’s need more or better training, or access to better testing procedures (such as chest X-rays) to detect lung cancer earlier.

40% of all lung cancers are not diagnosed until the patient arrives at an emergency clinic with serious breathing problems. It is at this point that the patient has virtually no chance of survival, as they are is in the last stages of lung cancer. Chest X-rays are cheap, and the radiation is a very low dose, and the use of a chest X-ray even if there is a low-level chance of Lung Cancer, may very well save your life.

Lung cancer is more prevalent among lower socioeconomic (poorer) groups.

Surgery is the preferred method for treating early lung cancers. As lungs are a lot less accessible to surgeons than, say, the breast you will normally be told to opt for chemo instead.

And also, if you are old or nor very well you will not be offered surgery, but pushed towards chemo. 

However, it appears that if you know you have lung cancer early enough there is an opportunity to alter your lifestyle (stop smoking, eat cancer killing foods, stop or reduce drinking alcohol) to either kill or control the lung cancer. If you don’t know you have lung cancer then there is nothing you can do until it is too late. Start a Preventative regime now irrespective of your age and gender.

A new Product called Sawa Lung Cleanse for Smokers is available here. 

The Environment

Almost half of Americans live with unhealthy levels of air pollution

A report finds 148 million people living in areas where smog and soot particles are a health risk with deteriorating climate change likely to increase your health risk.

With China being the most polluted country in the world, and India not far behind it, together with Eastern Europe in the same position it appears that there is likely to be a massive explosion in Lung Cancer all round the world in the next decade. The rest of the world is also suffering from worsening air quality caused by such disasters as nuclear power plant meltdowns (Fukushima), wildfires (California), deliberate forest burn offs (Amazon), vehicle exhausts, coal and waste burning, smoking and general industrial pollution in every city and town. The amount of untested chemicals and aerosols being introduced to the public every year increases this pollution load continually.

There is growing concern globally about the health risks of air pollution. The fact that smog and soot that travel across state lines and country borders kills the people next door rather than you is cold comfort – especially when the wind direction changes.

Scientific research shows that smog and soot are far more harmful at lower levels than previously thought. A growing body of research over the last decade has connected air pollution to increased deaths from heart disease and respiratory illnesses.

The World Health Organisation said in 2014 that particulate pollution causes lung cancer.

Air pollution linked to higher risk of lung cancer and heart failure

Air pollution, chiefly from traffic exhaust fumes in cities, is having a serious and sometimes fatal effect on health, according to two studies that link it to lung cancer and heart failure.

Air pollution increases the risk of lung cancer even at levels lower than those recommended by the European Union, says a paper in the Lancet Oncology journal. Although smoking is a far bigger cause of lung cancer, a significant number of people will get the disease because of where they live and what they breathe.

The study, codenamed Escape, combined data from 17 large studies in nine European countries covered a total of almost 313,000 people. The size of the research gives it greater authority than previous work.

Air pollution comes from traffic – mostly diesel fumes – household heating and industry. In cities where people live close together, "there is no reason to believe this [risk] is restricted to people of higher or lower socio-economic status," said an author of the study. They found a link with lung cancer even at low levels of air pollution, he said, "the less the better and the more the worse".

The second study published by the Lancet, shows that short-term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of being admitted to hospital with and dying of heart failure.

"Heart failure is a common, costly and fatal condition … and is one of the most frequent reasons for hospital admission," Mills said. "While the role of air pollution is well recognised as a risk factor for heart attacks, it has been less clear whether exposure increases the risk of adverse events in patients with other cardiovascular conditions like heart failure.

"Since the entire population is exposed to air pollution, even modest reductions in air pollution could have major cardiovascular health benefits and substantial healthcare cost savings."

Governments have acted to curb air pollution, but the study showed the problems were still real. "Most of the studies have been from the last 10 years, well after most of the major legislation to reduce air pollution. This relationship is still present, even at levels in some countries which are very low," he said.

There is concern about pollution in the developing world, where data was not comprehensive enough to carry out studies. Air pollution in some cities in China and India may be 10 or 20 times higher than in the UK. Nobody yet knows whether the health impact will be of the same increased magnitude.

Prevention is better than the cure (and a lot cheaper).

It is apparent that we are all surrounded by the very thing that keeps us alive, namely air. However, it is ironical that the very thing that sustains us may contain the means of giving us Lung Cancer, and killing us (and not very nicely either).

Unless we live in a filtered bubble for the rest of our lives we must take our chances out in the world and its polluted environment.

You can reduce your chances of getting Lung Cancer by;

Not Smoking Cigarettes and other Tobacco products

Not smoking marijuana

Not chewing or ingesting any tobacco products

Reduce or stop completely your alcohol intake

​Improving your immune system to fight lung cancer cells while they are still small

(A new Product called Sawa Lung Cleanse for Smokers is available here. )

Having regular chest X-rays using low level radiation

Seeing your GP on a regular basis and informing him/her of any chest and breathing problems immediately. The most difficult part about this is getting the Doctor to listen, understand and get some tests done (such as  a low radiation chest x-ray). It doesn't matter what the GP thinks, it is your body, not theirs - demand to get the tests done.

Consuming Cancer Killing foods on a regular basis.

Fact Checked References:

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3. Joshi, M; Joshi, A; Bartter, T (March 2014). "Marijuana and lung diseases.". Current opinion in pulmonary medicine 20 (2): 173–179.

4. Tashkin, DP (June 2013). "Effects of marijuana smoking on the lung.". Annals of the American Thoracic Society 10 (3): 239–47.

5. Underner, M; Urban T; Perriot J (June 2014). "Cannabis smoking and lung cancer". Revue des Maladies Respiratoires 31 (6): 488–498.

6. D'Antonio; Passaro A; Gori B (May 2014). "Bone and brain metastasis in lung cancer: recent advances in therapeutic strategies". Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology 6 (3): 101–114.

7. Parikh, RB; Kirch, RA; Smith, TJ; Temel, JS (12 December 2013). "Early specialty palliative care--translating data in oncology into practice.". The New England Journal of Medicine 369 (24): 2347–51.

8. Kelley AS, Meier DE (August 2010). "Palliative care—a shifting paradigm". New England Journal of Medicine 363 (8): 781–2.

9. Prince-Paul M (April 2009). "When hospice is the best option: an opportunity to redefine goals". Oncology (Williston Park, N.Y.) 23 (4 Suppl Nurse Ed): 13–7.